Differential selective toxicity of DMS-aureofacin components.
Trimethylammonium methyl esters (DMS) of polyene macrolides are products of the methylation of native polyene antibiotics with dimethyl sulfate. We isolated individual components of the DMS-aureofacin complex and characterized their toxicity and activity to induce  permeability changes in cell membranes. The DMS-aureofacin complex contained five components readily separated by thin-layer chromatography on polygram cellulose plates. DMS-Aureofacin A, a major component of the complex (90%), showed poor selective toxicity between yeast cells and mammalian cells grown in culture. DMS-Aureofacin B (6%) and DMS-aureofacin E (4%) exhibited very high biological activities and differed qualitatively in selective toxicity. DMS-Aureofacin B was much more active for mammalian cells than for yeast cells. In contrast, DMS-aureofacin E was much more active for yeast cells than for mammalian cells. DMS-Aureofacin C and D were present in the complex in only minute quantities which did not permit their biological characterization.
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000633:toxicity*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D006224:Cricetinae; D000882:Haplorhini; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D011090:Polyenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000633:toxicity; D011188:Potassium; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000633:toxicity
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D011090:Polyenes; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; C026039:aureofacin; D011188:Potassium